Wisteria can add instant charm and elegance to your garden – however, Monty recommends completing this one important pruning task now to stop it growing out of control
Easily identifiable for their long, draping flowers, wisteria add a mysterious, elegant atmosphere to any garden. But if you want them to flower to their full potential, you should take care to prune them in June.
Wisteria typically blossoms in late spring in early summer. In the UK, this usually means you will see their distinctive purple blossoms come to fruition in May or June. They also release a delectable scent, which can range from musky and slightly spicy to sweet. It’s also a fast-growing climbing plant, making it a perfect decoration for walls or fences.
However, there is a level of maintenance involved in keeping your wisteria healthy and flourishing. Gardening expert and BBC presenter Monty Don says June is the perfect time to prune them.
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This is because it allows new flowers to emerge. Monty wrote in his blog : “Wisteria produces its flowers on new growth, which in turn emerges from spurs off the main shoots.
He continued: “When they have finished flowering – and for most of us that is around the middle of June – is the best time to prune all this year’s new shoots back to a spur leaving no more than about 6 inches of growth.”
Cutting wisteria shoots by six inches should be enough to keep new growth close to the main vine. It also should clear away unwanted shoots that risk ruining the look of your garden.
Likewise, gardeners should also take this opportunity to tidy up the entire plant. This includes trimming and tying away any loose, trailing shoots.
If you’re unsure over how hard to prune your plant, Monty advises to err on the side of “cutting too lightly”. After all, you will have other opportunities to prune your plant.
In the new year, you can prune again after the foliage has begun to die back. Monty says you should reduce each side shoot to “just 2 or 3 inches.”
Pruning also helps to avoid your wisteria plant into a big mass of woody tissue and foliage. Or, worse, growing out of control and damaging your walls or fences.
It also poses a sinister threat to other plants if left unchecked. Wisteria can quickly wrap itself around surrounding plants, effectively choking them.
Other tips for caring for wisteria is ensuring they are placed in well-drained soil, as they dislike too much moisture. Equally, they should be left to grow in a sheltered, sunny spot.